The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have issued a 21-day ultimatum to the federal government within which to resolve the industrial crisis rocking the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri.

President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba, who disclosed this in Abuja yesterday, said the two labour unions have put President Muhammadu Buhari, Attorney General of the Federation and Secretary to the Government of the Federation on notice.

He hinted that the two labour organisations have also obtained the certified copy of the court process that contained the trial of Dr. Angela Uwakwem, the reinstated Chief medical Director (CMD), which now sets the ground for her suspension from office, pending the determination of the case, and forwarded same to the relevant offices and Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, who has promised to expedite action on the matter once he got the paper.

“We believe that 21 days is enough for government to take action. With all these documents obtained and submitted to the ministry, if at the end of it all, these efforts fail to yield any result, we will follow up with our normal action of protests and rallies,” Wabba added.

He said labour was dazed by the turn of event that led to the sudden reinstatement of the CMD, saying: “There are two issues that are involved in the FMC, Owerri, which are industrial relations about payment of workers’ entitlements and alleged case of corruption.

“Both the NLC and TUC were invited to the ministry, where we resolved the industrial relation crisis. We then resolved that the issues that bothered on corruption are better treated by the anti-corruption agencies.

“Uwakwem then proceeded on suspension from July 29, last year to give room for those processes to be taken, in line with public service rules. A management team was then raised by the ministry to oversea the affairs of the hospital, pending the completion of the process.”

He revealed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) painstakingly went through the process and that she was formally arraigned in court on 18-count charge on October 11, this year, only for the minister of State for Health to reinstate her five days after.